Our Mission and Methods: Now What?

February 17th, 2018 | John Chandler

We’ve spent six weeks — in liturgy, community groups, and family meetings — talking through our Mission and Methods.
Our Mission describes our primary activity and what it will lead to: To form communities of Jesus to experience and expand God’s work of renewal together. Our Methods, listed below, describe how we pursue that primary activity.(Listen Back to “Our Mission”)
So now what? Well, as mentioned in the series, the Leadership Team has set goals for us to pursue as a church in 2018 in each of these areas. We wanted those to be both measurable and realistic for his year, and you can find them listed below.
Of course, our growth in these Methods is intended to go far beyond these 2018 goals. Our hope is for much greater things.
There might be one or two of these below that you have a passion for. We hope you’ll both feed that passion and find ways to explore it, and in turn, offer it to our church community.
Below each method you’ll also find books we hope you’ll consider reading. These are some of the books that have helped form our thinking on this method. But we’d also love for you to help form our thinking.
The areas where you see clear need for us to improve as a church are likely the areas you have the most passion to offer. If that’s so, setup a coffee date with someone from leadership. You don’t have to bring answers or ideas to the table — just knowing you have a passion to help push us forward in these areas is a good place to start as we build longer term dreams around each.
That said, on to our Methods with their 2018 goals and suggested reading:We learn practices of Jesus so that we can know, love and follow him. (Listen here)
1. Offer a Spring discussion series outlining teaching and practical exercises of spiritual disciplines.
2. Host a Fall workshop focused on a specific need (ie parenting, marriage, etc.) for spiritual practice within our community.Suggested Reading:The Spirit of the Disciplines, by Dallas WillardDesiring the Kingdom: Worship, Worldview, and Cultural Formation, by James K.A. SmithWe cultivate relationships that lead to both friendship and formation. (Listen here)
1. Define relational and programming goals within the rhythm of our community for intimate and personal space.
2. Alongside the spring camping trip, plan an additional event in the fall that involves an overnight.Suggested Reading:Daring Greatly, by Brene BrownCommunity and Growth, by Jean LanierWe develop connections that teach us to how to love those who are not a part of a community of Jesus. (Listen here)
1. Launch a new website with specific content and CTAs to connect people into our Sunday liturgy.
2. Identify and help facilitate at least three interest based gatherings based on interests and influence already present in our church community.Suggested Reading:Speaking of Jesus: The Art of Not Evangelism, by Carl MedearisReclaiming Conversation, by Sherry TurkleWe seek opportunities to expand beyond a fellowship of sameness to reflect the breadth of God’s kingdom. (Listen here)
1. Form a team to research and propose practical steps by September for aMS to become a more ethnically diverse congregation.
2. Identify and partner with a non-majority “white” congregation for at least one liturgy or event.Suggested Reading:Disunity in Christ: Uncovering the Hidden Forces that Keep us Apart, by Christena ClevelandThe Next Evangelicalism: Freeing the Church from Western Cultural Captivity, by Soong-Chan RahWe raise leaders who have the capacity to form communities of Jesus. (Listen here)
1. Identify and outline a minimum of 12 opportunities for tangible leadership (CG guides, classroom coordinators, etc.) within aMS and fill them.
2. Outline and implement an internship program for people with availability who want to have a professional ministry experience.Suggested Reading:Leading with a Limp, by Dan AllenderFinding Our Way: Leadership for an Uncertain Time, by Margaret Wheatley